SOUTH TEXAS ISD police add K9 Leah, certified to detect narcotics and firearms

SOUTH TEXAS ISD's Department of Police introduced K9 Leah, a German shorthaired pointer certified to detect narcotics and firearms, the department’s canine handler said. Leah was sworn in at a recent school board meeting and has been with the department for a little over a month.

The handler said Leah completed a four-week training program and "certif[ied] through a national organization called the National K9 Police Association." The handler credited kines.org and a local training partner identified in the transcript as "K9's in actions" for helping acquire and prepare the dog.

"Leah is certified in narcotics detection, which is extremely important in keeping our schools drug-free," the handler said, adding that "an added bonus is Leah is also a firearms detection service animal. So she is able to detect any kind of firearms or ammunition that might be smuggled onto school campus." The handler said those capabilities will be used in searches of classrooms, backpacks and buses as permitted under district procedures.

Beyond searches, the handler said Leah spends time visiting students and that pupils "really enjoy seeing her in and out of their campuses." The handler also described day-to-day care, saying, "when the department's closed on the weekends, I'm still taking care of her," and that Leah lives with the handler.

The handler said summer training and preparation are planned "for the following school year." The district did not state funding sources, an operational policy for K9 deployment, or any changes to search or disciplinary procedures in the transcript provided.

No formal votes or motions were recorded in the transcript excerpt about Leah's addition to the department.